From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisha (cold) sweata (cold) sweatNERVOUSFRIGHTENEDa state of nervousness or fear, especially one in which you are sweatingin/into a (cold) sweat I woke up from the nightmare in a cold sweat. Don’t get into such a sweat about it! It’s only a test. → sweat
Examples from the Corpus
in/into a (cold) sweat• I was bathed in a cold sweat.• But just watch them explore picture books and the bookseller breaks into a cold sweat.• The face may be pale and sickly with dark rings round the eyes and may be covered in cold sweat.• She was covered in cold sweat, her chest heaving.• He crouched in a cold sweat as the black Lab scratched at the door; growling.• I spent the next week and a half in a cold sweat.• Such a nightmare was enough to make even the most fearless security officer break out in a cold sweat.• By the time the glasses were finally filled, Sam was in a cold sweat. 